Tobirama never dreamed Kazuku could open the Fifth Gate!
The sight left him utterly shocked!
No matter how genius, there had to be limits!
A seven-year-old opening the Gate of Limit? That was beyond absurd!
"Trouble."
Beyond shock, another reality hit Tobirama.
A punch under the Gate of Limit was exponentially stronger than the Gate of Life!
And Kazuku was aiming for Danzo's left chest.
One punch, and Danzo would be dead or gravely injured!
With that, Tobirama could no longer hold back.
Body Flicker Technique!
Instantly, he vanished, leaving a blurry afterimage, reappearing above Kazuku, his right hand in a palm strike aimed at Kazuku's back.
The moment his hand touched Kazuku, Tobirama unleashed his signature move.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
Tobirama and Kazuku vanished before Danzo's eyes.
But the fear and pressure Kazuku inflicted made it feel less like a match and more like a fight to the death.
When Kazuku opened the Gate of Limit and swung his fist, a single massive word flashed in Danzo's mind:
Death!
Elsewhere, Tobirama reappeared on the ground with Kazuku.
But in the Gate of Limit state, Kazuku couldn't stop his punch.
Forcing it would likely fracture his arm.
So, his fist slammed into the earth!
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed as powerful shockwaves radiated outward.
The ground quaked.
The earth beneath Kazuku's fist cracked in layers, spiderweb-like fissures spreading across the entire training field!
Koharu and Menma, caught off guard, lost focus and balance, collapsing to the ground.
Hiruzen, Kagami, and Torifu steadied themselves quickly, but their hearts churned with upheaval.
Their eyes filled with shock, expressions growing blank.
Their bodies stiffened, rooted in place.
The training field fell so silent, everyone could hear their own heartbeat. Then, Danzo crashed to the ground with a thud.
He'd been terrified by Kazuku's presence!
The outcome was clear.
Danzo, utterly defeated!
No one had predicted this result.
Against a seven-year-old Kazuku, Danzo had no chance to fight back.
The scene was so surreal, it shattered everyone's understanding of Kazuku.
Everyone, including Tobirama, gasped.
Kazuku…
Was terrifying beyond measure!
Finally, Might Batsu broke the silence.
"D-Danzo… lost."
As referee, he announced the match's result.
No one dared question it.
Including Danzo himself.
No one understood the gap between him and Kazuku better than he did.
"I never thought Young Master Kazuku could open the Gate of Limit at this age," Batsu said, dazed.
"I said he'd open it in five years with my training."
"I grossly underestimated his talent."
Soon, Batsu realized a terrifying truth.
As referee, he wasn't just to oversee the match but to intervene if a contestant was in mortal danger!
That was Tobirama's explicit order!
Forget intervening—he'd been too stunned to act.
No…
Batsu shook his head, rejecting that he'd frozen from shock.
"In my normal state, I couldn't have stopped Young Master Kazuku."
He gave a bitter smile. To match Kazuku's Gate of Limit speed, he'd need the Eight Gates himself.
But in that moment, there'd been no time to activate them.
Only Tobirama's Flying Thunder God could've saved Danzo.
"Danzo's a chunin, and for ten years, he's never slacked…" Hiruzen stared at Danzo, lying on the ground, in a daze.
"Yet even so, he was no match for Young Master Kazuku."
Hiruzen's heart swirled with emotions.
To him, Danzo was an exceptional ninja.
He'd even imagined, if he became the Third Hokage, entrusting Danzo with major village duties.
But who could've known such a man, whom he respected…
Was so helpless against Kazuku!
If he hadn't seen it, who'd believe it?
"And…" Kagami, who'd watched with his Sharingan, spoke up, sharing his thoughts.
"Taijutsu isn't like ninjutsu or genjutsu, where knowing intel lets you counter."
"Taijutsu is raw power clashing. Even if your eyes see it, if your body can't keep up, you can't win…"
"This was a crushing display of strength."
Kagami's words carried mixed emotions.
Especially when mentioning "eyes," it felt like he was talking to himself.
Perhaps during Kazuku and Danzo's fight, he'd simulated it in his mind.
The Senju and Uchiha clans had always been rivals.
Even after Hashirama and Madara made peace and founded the village…
The clans still competed.
As an Uchiha who'd awakened his Sharingan, Kagami was seen as a clan genius.
He'd opened his eyes earlier than Madara.
Surpassing him was only a matter of time.
Among his peers, no Senju could rival him.
This gave Kagami a sense of superiority.
But Kazuku's performance was a wake-up call.
It shattered his innate pride.
Kazuku was the true genius!
A monstrously powerful genius!
At seven!
Just seven, with such terrifying strength.
Given time to grow, what heights would he reach?
Hashirama Senju?
Madara Uchiha?
They didn't seem to compare.
"Is the gap between Uchiha and Senju really this vast?"
"So hopeless, so suffocating…"
For the first time, Kagami, hailed as a genius, doubted himself.
Of course…
Among everyone present, one person doubted himself even more.
Danzo.
Lying motionless on the ground.
His throat felt parched, itchy, devoid of moisture.
He hadn't just lost to Kazuku—he'd been scared witless!
And just now…
Young Master Kazuku…
Seemed like he really wanted to kill him!
(End of Chapter)